Video: Inserting and deleting rows and columns

We're reviewing the worksheet called Insert-Delete within the file 05-Layout, and we need to add a new column, a Phone Number column between Columns C and D. When you insert columns in Excel, select the column to the right of where the new column is going to appear. Now, using the standard menu techniques we can go on the Home tab to the Cells Group and choose Insert and simply Insert Sheet Columns; and we automatically get a new column to the left. All the other data gets pushed to the right.

Whether you're a novice or an expert wanting to refresh your skillset with Microsoft Excel, this course covers all the basics you need to start entering your data and building organized workbooks. Author Dennis Taylor teaches you how to enter and organize data, perform calculations with simple functions, work with multiple worksheets, format the appearance of your data, and build charts and PivotTables. Other lessons cover the powerful IF, VLOOKUP, and COUNTIF family of functions; the Goal Seek, Solver, and other data analysis tools; and how to automate many of these tasks with macros.

Inserting and deleting rows and columns

We're reviewing the worksheet called Insert-Delete within the file 05-Layout,and we need to add a new column, a Phone Number column between Columns C and D.When you insert columns in Excel, select the column to the right of where thenew column is going to appear.Now, using the standard menu techniques we can go on the Home tab to the CellsGroup and choose Insert and simply Insert Sheet Columns; and we automaticallyget a new column to the left.All the other data gets pushed to the right.

And so I'll put in our Phone Number heading here and then eventually we'llfill in the details.We can also insert rows in a similar way.It's often going to be handier to use the right mouse button.Suppose we also need to add a Social Security column, we could right-clickColumn D and simply choose Insert.Notice that it doesn't say Columns but by implication that's what it meansbecause we've right-clicked on a column-- Insert, and there's a new column--andeventually maybe we'll put in a Social Security Number.Now, sometimes when you're inserting data, you have to consider what is already there.

And if we wanted to put in Pennsylvania here in this list, what about the factthat we've got formulas right there that are adding up these numbers?Should we put Pennsylvania (PA) at the bottom here and move these downfirst, that sort of thing?Well, we could, but it's going to be simpler here to essentially take this dataand insert new cells above it.Now, we could insert a new row, but if we look at the data to the left, wereally don't want a new row in the middle of that TaxTable, nor do we want a newrow in the midst of the other data that we've already got accumulated here.

So sometimes what we need to do is Insert Cells.So I'm going to select these cells right here, and using the right mouse button,Insert, notice that there are three dots behind this.If we had chosen a row or earlier as we had seen, we'd choose a column,no questions asked.This means we go to a dialog box automatically.We are about to insert cells, but do we want to shift them rightward or downward?And based on the nature of the data and how we've highlighted them, Excel issuggesting we want to shift these cells down. So we click OK.

Now, as we do this keep an eye on the totals that are in row seven, they'regoing to get bumped down.They're still going to be accurate, and maybe we'll put in Pennsylvania (PA)over here and also over here.Although I don't have the numbers ready just yet, what's happened to the formula here?It has been adjusted automatically.So there are times when you want to Insert Cells.Now, if we insert a new set of cells above the data here, it's going to pushall the formulas down.So as a general rule, you don't worry about your formulas getting destroyed ifyou insert rows and columns.

There are exceptions to that, but for the most part that's not a major issue.But let's suppose we wanted to add a name to the list here.If we're not too careful and if we haven't scoped out this worksheet or if we'reunfamiliar with it, we could easily make the mistake of saying, "Okay, if I wantto put in a new name here--and of course we can do this at the bottom--why don'twe right-click here, insert a row?"And we could add a new name.But meanwhile, what has happened to the other part of the worksheet as wescroll rightward here?We've put a new empty row on the TaxTable and we've put an empty row out here.That's probably not what you had in mind.

And so here too as I press Ctrl+Z to undo--which you probably would mean to dohere--and let me make these two columns narrower, so we can see this a bitbetter, I'll just drag them this way.If we want to put a new name above this set of data here, highlight just thisdata, then right-click and Insert, shift these cells down, add the new name that way.And of course that does not disrupt the data to the right.Earlier we had the Pennsylvania (PA) in there automatically.So it didn't destroy the table in any way, didn't insert any empty cells there.

So just be sensitive to the idea.There certainly are times when you want to insert a new row,at other times insert cells, and certainly the same idea applies to columns as well.Now, there will be times of course when we need to delete a column, and maybewe've decided we're not going to put the Social Security Number in here, maybeit's too late to do an undo because we've taken some other effective measures in the meantime.So we want to get rid of Column D. The easiest way would be simply toright-click Column D and choose Delete; and all of our columns shift to the left.

If it turns out that we really don't want to add a name here, of course we don'twant to delete the entire row, we've got data off to the right that we want tokeep, but we might want to delete the cells.So right-click and Delete and shift the cells up.This only affects the data between Columns A through I. So the data belowthat will shift up.Nothing to the right will change whatsoever.So inserting and deleting columns and rows as well as inserting anddeleting cells makes sense.It gives us the basic tools for redesigning our worksheets when necessary.

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